The hall was used as a hospital during the Second World War, then after it was used for local dances. People used to travel from far and wide, including Campbeltown, Tarbert and Bearsden- although you had to watch as Campbeltown and Tarbert people did not get on! Sometimes the dances could squeeze in as many as 500 people! The music was Scottish show bands and the first band I remember was called ‘The Interns’.
The dances were always held on a Friday night and cost 75p to enter. They could go on to about 1.30am. On special occasions, when the navy were here, they held dances on a weekday and asked the locals to go along. The square outside the hall was used a car park and was always full. Inside the hall the balcony upstairs was used to serve soft drinks and snacks- no alcohol allowed- although the boys would stay at the back of the hall near the toilets and pass drinks through the window!
On our way home from the dances around 2am, we would stop by McNicolls Bakery to get hot pies. After the dances stopped the hall was used as storage rooms for the castle, but eventually became unsafe and was taken down.
More information on visiting the area can be found here.